Bobbin stripper



R. FERGUSON v 2,907,091

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' A TTORNE YS R. FERGUSON BoBBIN STRIPPER Oct. 6, 1959 Filed 0012. 15, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 4 Winx@ INVENTOR. mcnnno rsRGu'so/v BY 4 7am/Z5 A TTOIPNCYS R. FERGUsoN BoBBIN STRIPPER Oct. 6, 1959' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed oct. 15, 19576 5o INVENTQR.I

mel-mko rsnauso/v 6 A Trae/vers United States Patent I@ i BOBBIN STRIPPER Richard Ferguson, Charlotte, N.C., assignor to The Terrell Machine Company, a .corporation of North Carolina Application October 15, 1956, Serial No. 615,913

6 Claims. (Cl. 28-20) This invention relates to bobbin strippers for cleaning the residual waste yarn from spent bobbins and more particularly to apparatus of this sort arranged especially for cleaning loom lbobbins in a manner that provides effective cleaning action no matter how large the quantity of residual waste yarn remaining on the spent bobbin may be.

Spent loom bobbins or quills normally have only a relatively small feeler bunch of waste yarn remaining on their barrels adjacent the bobbin butt. In automatic looms, however, a lling break results in ejecting the bobbin then in use irrespective of the quantity of yarn remaining thereon. Sometimes the remaining quantity of yarn is suicient to warrant replacing the ejected bobbin in the loom magazine for further use, but practical operating considerations make it impractical to reuse every such ejected bobbin, so that of the spent bobbins resulting from normal production a certain number-fairly low percentagewise, but quite substantial in the aggregate-will have a large quantity or bunch of Waste yarn left thereon.

A spent bobbin carrying a large bunch of this sort presents a troublesome cleaning problem because it cannot usually be handled in the types -of bobbin stripping apparatus normally employed for ycleaning loom bobbins; either because the large bunch cannot be accommodated by the conveying means provided to feed the apparatus,

vor because the capacity f the appara-tus for stripping yarn from any one bobbin is not sufficient to remove the vsubstantially longer yarn length contained in a large bunch. yAs a result, these large bunch spent bobbins have to be separated and cleaned specially, and this is usually done by hand for lack of any effective means for cleaning such bohbins otherwise.

According to the present invention a bobbin stripping apparatus is provided that will clean a spent loom ybobbin Ielfeetively no matter how large a bunch it carries, and that is very simple in arrangement and operation so |that it may be practicably employed solely for cleaning large bunch spent bobbins. Briefly described, the bobbin stripper of the present invention comprises -a stripping means `adapted for cleaning a large bunch, and means for en- ;gaging a loom bobbin at the butt thereof to pull it through so that the bobbin butt may be inserted freely in the engaging means to commence a stripping operation and will drop freely therefrom when the operation is completed. Also, the bobbin butt engaging means is further uniquely arranged so that it Will not pull 01T the spaced circumferential rings 'characteristically fitted at the butt of a loom bobbin. In addition, wiping means is provided to 4supplement the cleaning yaction of the stripping means While allowing the engaging means to operate in relation to the stripping means without interference; and the stripping means `and wiping means are both arranged so that any trailing yarn ends fall away during the stripping operation and do not clog the apparatus.

These and other features of the present invention are vdescribed inl detail below in connection with the accom- `panying drawings, in which:

2,907,091 Patented Oct. 6, 1959 ICC Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bobbin stripper embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view corresponding generally to Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation corresponding generally to Fig. 2, but partly sectioned as seen substantially'on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail Itaken substantially on the line 44 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged sectional detail taken substantially on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3; l

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view further illustrating the relative arrangement and operation of the stripping means, bobbin butt engaging means, and supplementary wiping means of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail illustrating further the form of the bobbin butt engaging means.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention, as lshown in Ithe drawings, comprises a standing frame structure 10 having a hopper tray 12 mounted at one end thereof to contain a supply of the spent bobbins S`=t0 be cleaned, land having a bobbin tip guide I1li, a stationary stripping means 16, pivoted wiping means 18, and reciprocable bobbin butt engaging means Ztl aligned horizontally along one side thereof (compare Figs. l, 2 and 3).

The bobbin tip guide 14, as seen best in Figs. 3 and 4, comprises a plate member having a vertical slot 22 formed therein With bevelled edges so `as to serve as a positioning guide and rest for the tip of a spent bobbin S when it is placed in the apparatus for thecommencement of a stripping operation. The plate member forming the bobbin tip guide 14 is carried `'oy a bracket '24- that is arranged for horizontal adjustment on the frame structure 10 so that it may be set for handling different lengths of spent bobbins S. Use of this bobbin'tip guide 14 is a matter of convenience and is not essential to the proper functioning of the device of the present invention, so that the bobbin tip guide 14 may be included in the device or dispensed with as desired.

The stationary stripping vmeans 16 comprises a pair of stripping blades 26 that are ixed longitudinally of the frame structure 10 at the end faces of bar members 28, one of which is lfixed directly to the frame structure 10 as indicated at 30 in Fig. 5, and the other of which is iixed in spaced parallel relation thereto by a bridging plate member 32; the bar member 28 that is spaced from the frame structure 10 having a Vertical housing plate 34 fixed at the outer side face thereof to provide with the frame structure 10 lfor mounting the wiping means 18 and to shroud the bobbin butt engaging means 20 as will appear more in detail further below. Each of the paired stripping blades 26 form complementary halves ofthe stripping means 116 and are arranged with component stripping edges 36 thereon forming an upwardly opening composite semicircular stripping edge in which a centered escape gap is formed by spacing the adjacent side edge portions 38 of the blades 26. Each of the paired stripping blades 26 are further arranged for mounting at the ends of the respective `bar members 28 so that they may be laterally adjusted to the barrel diameter of the spent bobbin S being stripped, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The pivoted wiping means 18 comprises a pair of wiper blades 40 formed of some pliable material such as leather or rubber or the like, and carried by pivot arms 42 mounted on pivot brackets 44 that are attached respectively vat the outwardly opposite faces` of the frame structure 10 .and the housing plate member 34, so as to be disposed at each side of the reciprocating path of the bobbin butt engaging means 20. The pivot arms 42 have a tension spring 46 extended therebetween so as yto bias the Wiper blades 40 for riding the barrel of a spent bobbin S being stripped just behind the stripping means 16. Alterna- 3 tively, the pivot arms 42 may be biased by separate springs (not shown) extended therefrom to the respective adjacent shipping blades 26. The wiper blades 40 `are carried intermediate their length by the pivot arms 42 so as -40 against the barrel as they ride thereon (see Fig. 6)

and thereby provide an effective wiping action under -a relatively light bias that allows easy outward-displace ment of the wiper blades 40 by the bobbin butt engaging means 20 when disposed adjacent the stripping means 16 as explained further below, the pivot arms 42 being fitted with follower rolls48 for facilitating this displacement.

The reciprocable bobbin butt engaging means 20 that are provided for pulling a spent bobbin S through the stripping means 16 comprises a pair of jaw members 50 having opposed faces 52 that are fixed in spaced relation and grooved transversely at 54 with respect to the direction of pull, the grooving 54 in `the opposed jaw faces S2 being arranged in correspondence with the spacing of circumferential rings R that are characteristically fitted on the butt of a loom bobbin, as previously mentioned. The opposed faces 52 of the jaw members 50 are spaced at a distance greater than the ybobbin. butt diameter but less than the diameter of the rings R fit-ted thereon '(see Fig. 7), and the grooves 54 are formed with a V-shaped cross section so that -a component of the pulling force applied to the bobbin butt rings Rat the grooves 54 is directed to ltighten the rings R on the bobbin butt and thereby avoid pulling the rings R off of the bobbin butt even under the relatively heavy pulling force required to strip large bunches. By `arranging the sides of the grooves 54 at 45 it Will be -seen that the ring tightening component of the pulling force can be made equal to the component directed in the pulling direction. This arrangement of the grooves 54 'also makes it possible to apply an effective pulling force Without having to set the jaw members 50 closely on the bobbin butt, so that a loose setting may be employed to allow for insertion of a bobbin butt between the jaw members 50 and removal therefrom -eely.

The jaw members 50 are mounted in the above described manner on a block member 56, on which they are laterally adjustable, similarly to the stripping blades 26, for setting in accordance with the butt diameter of the spent bobbin S being stripped, and the block member 56 is carried at the extending end of a piston rod 58 associated with an air cylinder 60 by which the jaw members 50 are made reciprocable. The air cylinder 60 -is fitted with a suitable operating valve system at 62 for controlling the application of pressure from a supply line, such as is indicated at 64, through operation of a control arm 66; the arrangement of the control arm 66 being such that it is normally biased to an outward position, as illustrated in full lines in Fig. l, at which the jaw members 50 are positioned by the air cylinder 60 and piston rod 58 in a fully retracted position adjacent the end of air cylinder 60. When the biased control arm 66 is pivoted inwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig.V l, the jaw members S are positioned by the air cylinder 69 and piston rod 58 immediately adjacent the stripping means 16 for commencing a stripping operation, the outer side faces 52' of the jaw members 50 being formed -in camming relation to the follower rolls 48 on the pivot arms 42 for displacing the Wiper blades 40 outwardly at each side of the jaw members 50 when they assume this position. The jaw members 50 are maintained horizontal at this position, Vand during reciprocation, by riding the apparatus of` the present invention by taking a spent bobbin S from the hopper tray 12 and, using the bobbin tip guide 22 as a positioning means, inserting the bobbin butt laterally between the jaw members 50 so that the butt rings R are engaged thereby. In this connection; the grooves 54 in the jaw members 50 are preferably tapered as indicated at 54V in Fig. 7 vso as to facilitate such insertion further. The result of disposing the bobbin butt between the jaw members 50 in this manner is to place the 'barret of the spent bobbin S between the strip ping blades 25 immediately adjacent the bobbin butt S0 that the residual yarn bunch B thereon is arranged at the opposite side of the stripping blades 26 from the jaw members 50.

Having pivoted the control varm 66 inward to position the jaw members Si) adjacent the stripping means 416st) that the spent bobbin S may be thus disposed in place for stripping, 'the valve control larm 66 is then released f o'r return to its outwardly biased position so as to Acause the valve :sys-tem 62 to apply pressure through the cylinder 60 on the piston rod 58 for drawing the jaw members 50 away from the stripping blades 26 and pulling the spent bobbin S therethrough, during which pulling the stripping blades 26 grip the yarn bunch B so yas to strip it from the bobbin S being pulled. As the jaw members 5) move away from the stripping blades 26 on the pull-ing stroke, the bias from the tension spring 46 causes the pivot arms 42 to lmove inwardly, as soon as they are allowed to by the outer faces 52 of the jaw members 50, so that the Wiper blades 49 close on the bobbin barrel, as soon as Ythe bobbin butt has been pulled past them, to commence a supplementary cleaning action at the base of the barrel that cleans away any stay yarn windings that may work past the stripping blades 26 during the stripping operation. The pulling stroke is proportioned to draw the tip lof the spent bobbin S past the stripping blades 26 and wiper blades 4t) in completing the stripping operation so that lthe completely stripped bobbin may then drop freely by gravity from the jaw members 50 for Ycollection in any suitable container provided therefor,

whereupon the control arm 66 may again be pivoted inwardly to reposition the jaw members 50 adjacent the stripping blades 26 yfor commencement of a succeeding stripping operation.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bobbin stripper for cleaning loom bobbins of the type fitted with spaced circumferential rings at the butt thereof, means for engaging said bobbin to pull -it through a stripping means, said engaging means comprising ya pair of jaw members having opposed faces fixed in spaced relation and grooved transversely with respect to the direction of pull, the grooving in said opposed jaw faces being arranged in correspondence with the spacing 'of said bobbin butt rings for pulling engagement with said rings to apply substantially equal force components directed to tighten said rings on said bobbin butt and to pull said bobbin through said stripping means, and the spacing ofsaid grooved jaw faces allowing lateral insertionV and removal of the ring fitted bobbin butts freely 'thereat 2. In a bobbin stripper, the structure defined in claim l and further characterized in that the grooved faces of said jaw members have each groove therein formed with a V- shaped cross section.

3. In a bobbin stripper for cleaning loom bobbins of the type fitted with spaced circumferential rings at the butt thereof, a stationary stripping means for said loom bobbins, and means for engaging a loom bobbin at the ring fitted butt thereof and pulling it through said stripping means, said engaging means comprising a pair of law members disposed for 5reciprocation in the rdirection of pull, said jaw members being fixed transversely of the pulling direction with opposed faces spaced ata distance greater than the bobbin butt diameter but less than the diameter of the rings tted thereon, said opposed jaw faces being grooved laterally in correspondence with the spacing of said bobin butt rings, and said grooving having a cross section shaped for applying the pulling force to said bobbin butt rings with substantially equal 'components thereof directed to tighten said rings on said bobbin butt and to pull the bobbin through said stripping means.

4. In a bobbin stripper, the structure defined in clain 3 and further characterized in that said stripping means Y comprises a pair of stripping blades forming a composite semicircular stripping edge in which a centered escape gap for trailing yarn ends is formed by spacing the adjacent side edges of said blades.

5. In a bobbin stripper for cleaning loom bobbins of the type iittedwith spaced circumferential rings at the butt thereof, a stationary stripping means for said bobbins, reciprocable means for engaging a loom bobbin at the ring fitted butt thereof and pulling it through said stripping means, and a pair of pivoted wiper blades biased for riding the barrel of said bobbin between said stripping means and said butt engaging means, said wiper blades extending substantially transversely and having a substantial and relatively flexible extent to each side of said bobbin barrel when riding thereon and being carried for pivoting about respective axes located at each side of the operating path of said reciprocable means and from which axes respective turning moments are exerted by the reaction of the biased riding contact of said wiper blades with said bobbin barrel to cause wedging of said wiper blades againstsaid bobbin barrel when riding thereon so as to require only Ya relatively light bias for effective wiping action.

6. In a bobbin stripper for cleaning loom bobbins of the type tted with spaced circumferential rings at the butt thereof, a stationary stripping means for said loom bobbins, reciprocable means for engaging a loom bob-- bin at the ring tted butt thereof and pulling it throughv said stripping means, said engaging means comprising a pair of jaw members fixed transversely of the reciprocating path thereof with opposed faces spaced at a distance greater than the bobbin butt diameter but less than the diameter of the rings fitted thereon and grooved laterally in correspondence with the spacing of said bobbin butt rings, and a pair of pivoted wiper blades biased for riding the barrel of said bobbin between said stripping means and said butt engaging means, said wiper blades extending substantially transversely when riding said bobbin barrel and being carried by pivot arms mounted at each side of the reciprocating path of the jaw members of said engaging means, the outer faces of said jaw members being formed for displacing said wiper blades outwardly upon reciprocation of said jaw members to a position adjacent said stripping means for commencing a stripping operation while allowing said wiper blades to close on said bobbin barrel as soon las the bobbin butt is pulled past said blades, and the axes of said pivot arm being located so that said wiper blades Wedge against said bobbin barrel when riding thereon and thereby provide elective wiping action under a relatively light bias that allows easy displacement of said wiper blades by said jaw members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS 907,476 Draper Dec. 22, 1908 909,771 Draper et'al. Ian. 12,1909 1,740,127 Terrell Dec. 17, 1929 1,977,097 Terrell Oct. 16, 1934 

